JP7631736B2 - Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and an information processing program.

In recent years, with the advancement of communication and sensing technologies, attempts have been made to electrically detect urine and other substances in absorbent articles such as disposable diapers, urine pads, and sanitary products (see, for example, Patent Documents 1-6). In addition, the use of computers in care facilities has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Documents 7-9).

JP 2019-130243 A JP 2019-130244 A JP 2019-141278 A JP 2019-146721 A JP 2019-141279 A JP 2019-141280 A JP 2007-25737 A JP 2008-20976 A JP 2019-139693 A

In nursing care facilities, caregivers are required to provide effective care within a limited time. Therefore, for example, even if the urination time of a user at a nursing care facility can be accurately predicted, it is practically difficult to change absorbent articles in accordance with the predicted urination time.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a technology that enables users to efficiently replace absorbent articles they are wearing.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention creates a schedule for the caregiver who cares for the wearer of the absorbent article, including the task of changing the absorbent article, based on the work schedule and excretion information of the caregiver.

In detail, the present invention is an information processing device that includes a storage unit that stores excretion information, which is information related to excrement excreted in an absorbent article, a calculation processing unit that creates a schedule for a caregiver who cares for a wearer of the absorbent article, including the work of changing the absorbent article, based on the work schedule and the excretion information, and an output processing unit that outputs the schedule.

The calculation processing unit may create at least four or more types of schedules for caregivers with alternating priorities for four items: total number of times absorbent articles need to be changed, cost of absorbent articles, workload per caregiver, and regular change of absorbent articles.

The calculation processing unit may also create a schedule for the caregiver, including the task of changing absorbent articles worn by the wearer, based on excretion predictions based on the excretion information.

The calculation processing unit may also create a schedule for the caregiver who is caring for the wearer of the absorbent article, including the task of changing the absorbent article worn by the wearer, based on the work schedule and excretion information of the caregiver.

The calculation processing unit may also use a prediction model that has been machine-learned using excretion information as training data to predict when to replace absorbent articles based on information about the replacement work, and create a schedule for caregivers based on the prediction.

The present invention can also be viewed from the aspect of a method. For example, the present invention may be an information processing method that refers to a storage unit that stores excretion information, which is information related to excrement excreted in an absorbent article, creates a schedule for a caregiver who cares for a wearer of the absorbent article, including the task of changing the absorbent article, based on the work schedule and excretion information of the caregiver, and outputs the schedule.

The present invention can also be viewed from the perspective of a program. For example, the present invention may cause an information processing device to refer to a storage unit that stores excretion information, which is information related to excrement excreted in an absorbent article, create a schedule for a caregiver who cares for a wearer of the absorbent article, including the task of changing the absorbent article, based on the work schedule and excretion information of the caregiver, and output the schedule.

The present invention may also be, for example, an information processing device that includes a memory unit that stores excretion information, which is information related to excrement excreted in an absorbent article, a calculation processing unit that creates a work schedule and care schedule for a caregiver who cares for a wearer of the absorbent article from the excretion information, and an output processing unit that outputs the work schedule and schedule.

The present invention makes it possible for users to efficiently replace absorbent articles they are wearing.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of each device. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a process flow when providing care using the information processing system. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of data to which the excretion prediction function refers. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the field terminal. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for correcting urine volume data. FIG. 7 shows an example of a screen for inputting stool volume and stool properties. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the correction of the urination volume and the change in the regression coefficient. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a process flow relating to the planning function. FIG. 10 shows an example of a screen displaying exchange schedule plans for comparison.

Below, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments.

Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an information processing system according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the information processing system 1 includes a server 2 capable of two-way communication via a network N and a wireless antenna 4, an on-site terminal 5, a management terminal 6, an excretion sensor 8, and an air conditioning sensor 9. The information processing system 1 is a system suitable for facilities used by people and animals who need help from others, and can be applied to, for example, nursing homes, hospital wards, animal care facilities, and various other facilities.

In this embodiment, the information processing system 1 is applied to a care facility used by users 7, such as elderly people, who require the help of staff 3, and the case where the information processing system 1 is applied to care centered mainly on changing absorbent articles (diapers and pads) is illustrated. However, the information processing system 1 is not limited to application to such care facilities or to changing absorbent articles. Furthermore, the information processing system 1 is not limited to care provided within the building of a care facility, and can also be applied, for example, to a visiting care facility where visits are made to the homes of users 7.

The network N is a communication line that connects information devices together, and is constructed, for example, using LAN (Local Area Network) cables and hubs installed within the nursing facility, wireless LAN, or public communication lines such as the Internet.

The server 2 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a RAM (Random Access Memory).
, an input/output interface, an SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. The server 2 can be accessed from the field terminal 5 and the management terminal 6, and processes various requests and performs various other arithmetic operations. The server 2 may be a cloud formed on the Internet.

The on-site terminal 5 is an information processing device used by the staff member 3 when caring for the user 7. The on-site terminal 5 is preferably a tablet computer that the staff member 3 can carry with them and whose screen is easy to check, but various information processing devices can be used, such as a smartphone, a smartwatch, a wearable terminal, or a computer mounted on a mobile cart used by the staff member 3. The on-site terminal 5 displays information and accepts various inputs required when the staff member 3 cares for the user 7.

The management terminal 6 is an information processing device installed in the staff member 3's station or the like. The management terminal 6 can be a desktop computer, a tablet computer, or any other type of information processing device. The management terminal 6 is used by the staff member 3 when checking schedules and performing various setting operations, etc.

The excretion sensor 8 is a sensor built into an absorbent article such as an absorbent pad or diaper worn by the user 7. For example, in the case of adult paper diapers, the user 7 wears a tape type or pants type diaper and places a urine pad inside the diaper, so that the urine pad mainly absorbs the urine. Then, when the urine pad becomes soiled, it is changed. Tape type or pants type diapers are usually changed once every one to two days. Depending on the changing schedule, a urine pad may not be used in addition. When changing such paper diapers, genital washing may also be performed at the same time. When washing the genitals, the paper diaper is placed on the floor and the cleaning liquid is absorbed into the paper diaper and discarded. Therefore, it is the urine pad, tape type or pants type paper diaper that is equipped with a sensor. On the other hand, in the case of children's paper diapers, most people use only one tape type or pants type, and in rare cases, a urine pad is used in combination with a washable diaper cover. Therefore, in the case of disposable diapers for children, tape-type and pants-type disposable diapers and urine pads are targets for attaching the excretion sensor 8. The position of the excretion sensor 8 to be attached to the disposable diaper is a position corresponding to the crotch part of the disposable diaper, and is preferably below the absorbent body, but may also be above the absorbent body. This depends on the form of the excretion sensor 8.

The excretion sensor 8 includes a sensor for detecting urine excreted by the user 7, and also includes a communication circuit for transmitting information obtained by the sensor to the server 2. The excretion sensor 8 is preferably one that transmits information obtained by the sensor to the server 2 via wireless communication, but may also be one that transmits information to the server 2 via wired communication. The excretion sensor 8 is preferably one that uses a device (e.g., a biofuel cell or an aluminum ion battery) that generates electricity when it comes into contact with urine, and the power of the communication circuit is also preferably supplied from the device, but may also use a secondary battery such as a rechargeable battery. When a power source such as a secondary battery is used, for example, an element that is energized when it comes into contact with urine, or an element that is not energized when it comes into contact with urine, is used as the sensor for detecting urine, and the amount of urine can be detected depending on the number of energized elements.

In addition, if a device that generates electricity when it comes into contact with urine is used, the excretion sensor 8 may detect the amount of urine according to the amount of electricity generated by the device.

For example, if the device increases or decreases the power depending on the area where urine comes into contact with the element, the server 2 can obtain information about the amount of urine by sending information about the magnitude of the power to the server 2. If the device generates more power the larger the area of the electrode that comes into contact with urine, the magnitude of the power can be used as information about the amount of urine.

In addition, for example, if the device increases or decreases the type of frequency of the radio waves emitted depending on the number of parts where urine comes into contact with the element and the power level, the urine volume can be obtained based on the type of radio waves emitted. Assuming that the three frequencies are frequencies A, B, and C, and the device has three elements, an element that emits radio waves of frequency A when urine comes into contact with the element, an element that emits radio waves of frequency B when urine comes into contact with the element, and an element that emits radio waves of frequency C when urine comes into contact with the element, then, depending on the number of frequencies of radio waves received by the wireless antenna 4, the on-site terminal 5, etc., it is possible to determine, for example, that the urine volume is "small" when only one of the frequencies A, B, and C is received, that the urine volume is "medium" when two radio waves are received, and that the urine volume is "large" when all three radio waves are received. In this case, the urination volume may be predicted according to the elapsed time from when a radio wave of a specific frequency is received to when a radio wave of another specific frequency is received. For example, if the time that elapses between receiving radio waves of a specific frequency and receiving radio waves of another specific frequency is relatively short, it is possible to predict that the amount of urination will be large, and if it is relatively long, that the amount of urination will be small. When making such predictions, the accuracy of the predictions can be improved by using machine learning.

In addition, if the device increases or decreases the power generation depending on the contact state of urine, the change in electrical behavior due to repeated urination may be reflected in the estimation of the amount of urination based on the magnitude of the power generation. For example, after the first urination, the urine in the absorbent is absorbed by the polymer absorbent, and the amount of urine that wets the electrodes decreases, so the voltage output by the device may gradually decrease immediately after contact with urine. Therefore, if the amount of urine during urination is small, the device elements cannot be kept wet, so the output voltage of the device decreases quickly. On the other hand, if the amount of urine during urination is large, the device elements can be kept wet, so it takes a long time for the output voltage of the device to decrease. The absorbent body has a lower water absorption capacity during the second urination than the first urination, because the amount of water that can be absorbed decreases due to the first urination. Therefore, the output voltage decreases more slowly during the second urination detected by the device than during the first urination. For this reason, for example, if the number of urinations is included in the input data for machine learning, it is possible to estimate the amount of urination taking into account the change in the correlation between the amount of urination and the voltage decrease due to repeated urination. In this way, if the amount of urine is estimated using not only the power generation but also the number of urinations, it becomes possible to estimate the amount of urine with high accuracy.

In addition, the excretion sensor 8 is not limited to a form that transmits excretion information such as urine excreted from the user 7 to the server 2 via the wireless antenna 4 in real time. For example, when the excretion sensor 8 detects by wireless that the staff member 3 on patrol with the on-site terminal 5 approaches the excretion sensor 8, the excretion information stored in the memory of the excretion sensor 8 is transmitted to the on-site terminal 5, and the on-site terminal 5 transmits the excretion information to the server 2 via the wireless antenna 4. In this case, in order to provide the excretion information to the server 2 as time-series data, it is preferable to provide the server 2 with information such as the time when the excretion was detected together with the excretion information, but the information processing system 1 is not limited to such a form. For example, in a care facility where the staff member 3 makes rounds every hour, if the error in the excretion time allowed in the excretion prediction described below is allowed to be about 1 to 2 hours, the excretion information required for excretion prediction can be provided to the server 2 even if the excretion sensor 8 does not have a clock and transmits the excretion information to the server 2 via the on-site terminal 5 and the wireless antenna 4 at the timing when the staff member 3 on patrol approaches.

When the excretion sensor 8 transmits the information obtained by the sensor to the server 2, it adds identification information for identifying the user 7 to the sensor information. If the excretion sensor 8 is a disposable sensor that is disposed of together with the used absorbent article, this identification information is unique information assigned to each excretion sensor 8. If the excretion sensor 8 is a type that uses a medium that records information unique to each user 7 and is inserted into a slot, this identification information is unique information assigned to each user 7. In the latter case, the server 2 can identify which user 7 the information sent from the excretion sensor 8 belongs to by managing the unique information assigned to each user 7 in the database 24 of the server 2 or the like. On the other hand, in the former case, the server 2 needs to understand the correspondence between the unique information assigned to each excretion sensor 8 and each user 7. Therefore, in the former case, when the staff member 3 puts on the absorbent article on the user 7, a linking operation is required to record the correspondence between the identification information of the excretion sensor 8 built into the absorbent article and the user 7. This linking process can be achieved, for example, by having the staff member 3 read the identification information of the excretion sensor 8 with the wireless communication unit 53 of the on-site terminal 5 when putting on the absorbent article on the user 7, by having the staff member 3 manually input the identification information displayed on the excretion sensor 8 into the on-site terminal 5, or by various other methods.

The excretion sensor 8 may also be capable of acquiring not only urination data but also data related to defecation, such as the time of defecation and the amount of defecation. In general, the humidity and temperature inside the absorbent article tend to rise sharply from the time of defecation until the end of defecation, and then gradually decrease. In addition, the degree of decrease in humidity and temperature after the end of defecation, that is, the amount of decrease in humidity and temperature per unit time, tends to differ between fluid excretion (fluid excretion) such as urine, menstrual blood, and watery stool, and solid excretion (solid excretion) such as feces and vaginal discharge. For example, fluid excretion has a smaller heat capacity than solid excretion. In addition, fluid excretion is easily diffused. Therefore, the humidity and temperature of fluid excretion are more likely to decrease than solid excretion. Therefore, for example, by measuring the humidity and temperature inside the absorbent article and the rate of change thereof, it is possible to distinguish between fluid excretion and solid excretion.

The air conditioning sensors 9 are installed in various locations within the building of the nursing facility in which the information processing system 1 is used, and are sensors that measure environmental information such as temperature and humidity. In addition to being a sensor that measures environmental information including at least one of temperature and humidity, the air conditioning sensor 9 also includes a communication circuit for sending information obtained by the sensor to the server 2. The air conditioning sensor 9 is preferably one that sends information obtained by the sensor to the server 2 via wireless communication, but may also be one that sends information to the server 2 via wired communication. The air conditioning sensor 9 may be substituted by one that outputs temperature and humidity data from a control circuit of the air conditioning equipment. Furthermore, the data provided from the air conditioning sensor 9 to the server 2 may include control target values for temperature and humidity set in the control circuit of the air conditioning equipment, and may also include the amount of solar radiation in the perimeter zone near the windows of the facility.

The wireless antenna 4 is an antenna for wireless communication with the above-mentioned on-site terminal 5, excretion sensor 8, and air conditioning sensor 9, and is installed in various locations within the building of the nursing facility in which the information processing system 1 is used. The wireless antenna 4 may be, for example, an antenna that complies with the standards for LAN wireless equipment such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or if the network N is a public communication line, it may be a base station antenna for a mobile communication carrier such as 4G or 5G provided by the mobile communication carrier.

Figure 2 is a functional block diagram of each device. The functions realized by each device are explained below.

When the CPU executes the computer program loaded into the RAM, the server 2 realizes an input processing unit 21, a calculation processing unit 22, and an output processing unit 23. The server 2 also has a database 24 in which various information is stored in its storage. The input processing unit 21 receives information arriving via the network N from the on-site terminal 5, the management terminal 6, the excretion sensor 8, and the air conditioning sensor 9. The calculation processing unit 22 performs various calculation processes based on the information received by the input processing unit 21 and the information in the database 24. The output processing unit 23 sends various information to the on-site terminal 5 and the management terminal 6 via the network N.

The contents of the calculation processing unit 22 include, for example, planning a replacement schedule for absorbent articles worn by the user 7, predicting the urination time of the user 7, etc. Since the contents of the calculation processing unit 22 are wide-ranging, the details of the processing contents will be described later.

When the CPU executes a computer program loaded into the RAM, the on-site terminal 5 realizes an input processing unit 51, an output processing unit 52, and a wireless communication unit 53. The input processing unit 51 receives information received from the server 2 via the network N, and user operations input through a touch panel or operation switches provided on the on-site terminal 5. The output processing unit 52 outputs various information to the touch panel or the like in response to the information received by the input processing unit 51 or user operations. The wireless communication unit 53 is a functional unit for wireless communication with the wireless antenna 4 and various other electronic devices, and establishes a wireless connection between the wireless antenna 4 and the on-site terminal 5, and converts wireless signals exchanged between the wireless antenna 4 and the on-site terminal 5.

When the CPU executes a computer program loaded into the RAM, the management terminal 6 realizes an input processing unit 61 and an output processing unit 62. The input processing unit 61 receives information received from the server 2 via the network N, and user operations input through input means such as a keyboard and mouse provided on the management terminal 6. The output processing unit 62 outputs various information to an LCD monitor or the like in response to the information received by the input processing unit 61 or user operations.

The excretion sensor 8 includes a measuring unit 81 that is composed of a sensor that detects urine excreted in the absorbent article, and a transmitting unit 82 that wirelessly transmits information related to the measurement value of the measuring unit 81. Both the measuring unit 81 and the transmitting unit 82 are built into the absorbent article worn by the user 7. The excretion sensor 8 is built into, for example, a pad-type absorbent article that can be attached to a diaper, a pants-type or tape-type diaper that can be used alone, and various other absorbent articles. The absorbent article usually includes an absorbent body that holds granular absorbent resin such as SAP (Super Absorbent Polymer), which is a hydrophilic polymer with a crosslinked structure that can absorb and retain water, in gaps between short fibers of cellulosic fibers such as pulp fibers, rayon fibers, or cotton fibers, or short fibers obtained by subjecting synthetic fibers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyethylene terephthalate to hydrophilic treatment. A water-permeable top sheet or the like is arranged on the skin side of the absorbent body. Therefore, the measuring section 81 is disposed at a position where urine excreted from the wearer's anus or the like is likely to come into contact with the measuring section 81. Examples of positions where urine excreted from the wearer's anus or the like is likely to come into contact with the measuring section 81 include the area between the top sheet and the absorbent, the skin-facing side of the top sheet, and various other areas adjacent to the top sheet. The area that the measuring section 81 occupies on the top sheet depends on the type of detection element used in the measuring section 81, the detection performance required for the measuring section 81, and various other conditions. For example, if the measuring section 81 is intended to detect the amount of urine with an accuracy of about three levels, high, medium, and low, the measuring section 81 is preferably provided in a wide area from the front body part corresponding to the wearer's abdomen, through the wearer's crotch, to the back body part corresponding to the wearer's back. In addition, for example, the measuring section 8
If the purpose of the absorbent article 1 is only to detect the presence or absence of urine, the measuring unit 81 may be provided only in the area corresponding to the wearer's crotch. On the other hand, the transmitting unit 82 is intended to wirelessly transmit information regarding the measurement value of the measuring unit 81, and therefore it is preferable that the transmitting unit 82 is provided in a location where the radio waves transmitted from the transmitting unit 82 to the wireless antenna 4 are not blocked. Therefore, although it depends on the transmission output of the transmitting unit 82 and the shape of the antenna, for example, a location adjacent to the cover sheet that forms the exterior part of the absorbent article is preferable as a location where the radio waves of the transmitting unit 82 are not blocked by urine absorbed in the absorbent article.

The air conditioning sensor 9 includes a measurement unit 91 that is composed of various elements, such as a thermistor whose resistance value changes in response to temperature changes and a resistance change sensor whose electrical resistance changes depending on the water absorption rate of the wet/dry material, and a transmission unit 92 that wirelessly transmits information about the measurement value of the measurement unit 91. The information from the air conditioning sensor 9 is used for the purpose of correcting various predicted values related to excretion, such as the urination time and urination volume of the user 7, using information such as the temperature of the room in which the user 7 is present. Therefore, the air conditioning sensor 9 is installed in rooms and halls where the user 7 mainly stays, within the building of the care facility in which the information processing system 1 is used.

Next, the flow of processing when nursing care is provided using the information processing system 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of processing when nursing care is provided using the information processing system 1. When a staff member 3 starts nursing care work in a nursing facility using the information processing system 1, the schedule of work for that day is first confirmed. When the staff member 3 wants to confirm the schedule of work for that day, for example, he/she operates the management terminal 6 at the station and performs a schedule request operation (R101). When the input processing unit 61 of the management terminal 6 accepts the schedule request operation, the output processing unit 62 requests data on information related to the schedule to the server 2 (R102). When the input processing unit 21 of the server 2 receives a request for data on information related to the schedule from the management terminal 6, the calculation processing unit 22 queries the data stored in the database 24 (R103). Then, in the server 2, the output processing unit 23 provides the data on information related to the schedule acquired by the calculation processing unit 22 querying the database 24 to the management terminal 6 (R104). In the management terminal 6, when the input processing unit 61 receives the schedule-related information data provided by the server 2, the output processing unit 62 displays the data information on the LCD monitor (R105). The staff member 3 checks the schedule displayed on the management terminal 6 (R106).

After checking the schedule displayed on the management terminal 6, the staff member 3 prepares to move to the room of the user 7 to care for the user 7 (R107). Examples of preparation work include preparing new absorbent articles to be fitted to the user 7, waste bags for disposing of used absorbent articles, and items to be used when replacing absorbent articles.

When the staff member 3 has completed preparations for the move, he or she travels to the user 7's location with the prepared items and the on-site terminal 5 (R108). Then, when the staff member 3 arrives at the user 7's location, he or she operates the on-site terminal 5 to call up the information necessary for caring for the user 7. When the input processing unit 51 of the on-site terminal 5 accepts the operation of the staff member 3, the output processing unit 52 displays the information necessary for caring for the staff member 3 on the touch panel (R109). The information that the output processing unit 52 displays on the touch panel may be information that has been stored in advance in the storage of the on-site terminal 5, or may be information that the output processing unit 52 queries the server 2 and that is provided to the on-site terminal 5 from the server 2 each time the input processing unit 51 accepts the operation of the staff member 3.

The on-site terminal 5 detects the approach of the user 7 by reading a signal from a wireless identification device such as an RFID worn by the user 7, and automatically displays care information related to the user 7, such as whether the absorbent article needs to be changed or whether the user needs to change position. Alternatively, the on-site terminal 5 may display information when a reading operation is performed to read a barcode or QR code (registered trademark) of an identification mark worn by the user 7, or may perform biometric authentication of the user 7 (face, fingerprint, iris, vein, ear shape, body odor, etc.).
The information may be displayed by determining whether the user 7 is a user or not. In this case, the wireless communication unit 53 of the on-site terminal 5 functions as a detection unit that detects the radio waves of the RFID. The on-site terminal 5 inquires of the server 2 about the information of the user 7 that is specified by the identification information included in the radio waves of the RFID, and the information is sent from the server 2 to the on-site terminal 5 and displayed. The RFID may be a band-shaped one worn on the wrist or ankle of the user 7, or may be realized as a function attached to the excretion sensor 8 provided in the absorbent article worn by the user 7, or may be embedded in the absorbent article together with the excretion sensor 8. The RFID can be read using various short-range wireless communication technologies. Examples of wireless communication standards for reading the RFID include various standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), and UWB (Ultra Wide Band).

The staff member 3 checks the information displayed on the on-site terminal 5 and performs identity verification (R110). Identity verification is an important procedure to prevent the mistake of identifying the user 7, and is performed for the purpose of preventing the wrong care from being provided to the user 7.

After completing the identity verification, the staff member 3 operates the on-site terminal 5 to call up the necessary information and confirm various instructions such as precautions and procedures for providing care to the user 7 (R111). The staff member 3 then replaces the used absorbent articles worn by the user 7 and performs various other care-related procedures (R112). The on-site terminal 5 may use voice recognition technology to analyze the voice of the staff member 3 and display the information requested by the staff member 3.

After the staff member 3 performs the care-related procedure, he/she inputs the record items into the on-site terminal 5 (R113). The record items input into the on-site terminal 5 include, for example, the amount of urine absorbed in the used absorbent article, the posture of the user 7, and information on the work performed at the time of replacing the absorbent article. The information on the record items input by the staff member 3 is received by the input processing unit 51 of the on-site terminal 5 (R114). Then, in the on-site terminal 5, the output processing unit 52 transmits the information received by the input processing unit 51 to the server 2 using the wireless communication unit 53. In the server 2, the input processing unit 21 receives the information received from the on-site terminal 5 (R115). Then, in the server 2, the calculation processing unit 22 accesses the database 24, and a process of updating the data stored in the database 24 is performed based on the information received by the input processing unit 21 (R116). Information on the incidental work such as changing the posture is used to determine the content of the next incidental work.

The above series of processes is not performed for each user 7. In other words, when the staff member 3 leaves the station, he or she will provide care to multiple users 7 and then return to the station. Therefore, the above series of processes may, for example, involve the processes R101 to R107, followed by multiple repetitions of the processes R108 to R114, followed by the processes R115 and onward. Or, for example, the processes R101 to R107, followed by multiple repetitions of the processes R108 to R116.

The staff 3 of the care facility using the information processing system 1 of this embodiment can check various information related to care by using the on-site terminal 5 and the management terminal 6 described above. Therefore, compared to the case where the staff 3 works while checking notices and cautions attached to the bed used by the user 7 or the fixtures nearby, for example, the staff 3 can work while easily checking more information.

Below, we will explain in detail some of the functions of the information processing system 1.

<Excretion prediction function>
The information processing system 1 of the above embodiment is provided with an excretion prediction function for the user 7. The excretion prediction function is a function for predicting the urination time, urination volume, defecation time, etc. The excretion prediction function is mainly managed by the calculation processing unit 22 of the server 2. The urination time, urination volume, and defecation time can be predicted based on past urination times, food and drink, ingested medicines, room temperature and humidity, air conditioning settings in the room, and various other information.

The excretion prediction is periodically performed by the calculation processing unit 22 of the server 2, and the prediction results are stored in the database 24. Therefore, the staff member 3 can check the predicted time of the user 7's next urination and the amount of urination by operating the on-site terminal 5 at any time. Therefore, the staff member 3 can take advance preparation actions based on the excretion prediction.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of data referred to by the excretion prediction function. The excretion prediction function of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment analyzes data such as the amount of urine automatically acquired by the excretion sensor 8, data on excrement manually input by the staff member 3, data on the environment of the room acquired by the air conditioning sensor 9, data on the type and amount of food and drink, and data on ingested medicines by machine learning, learns the excretion pattern of the user 7, creates a prediction model for each user 7, and predicts the urination time and amount of urine of the user 7 from the model. Since some medicines have a diuretic effect or an antidiuretic effect, the administration time and dosage of these drugs affect the prediction of the excretion pattern of the user 7. In addition, the administration time and dosage of laxatives are directly related to excretion, and therefore affect the prediction of the excretion pattern of the user 7. For this reason, the data referred to by the excretion prediction function includes information on such medicines, but the information on the medicines can be omitted.

Machine learning refers to a process for generating a model that outputs a predicted value for input data. In machine learning, a learning process is executed multiple times to update the parameters that define the model using learning data. In this embodiment, various data related to the care of the user 7, such as urination volume and urination time, are used as learning data in machine learning, and the parameters of the model for outputting predicted values related to the work schedule of the staff member 3, such as future urination volume and urination time, are updated.

Basically, this function uses the time of excretion as a reference point and performs analysis from multiple pieces of data within a specified time immediately prior to that time. For example, to predict urination times, the urination times are extracted from the data recorded in the database 24. The extracted urination time data is then analyzed by machine learning to calculate the features of the urination times, making it possible to learn the urination patterns of the user 7 and predict future urination times. Examples of machine learning algorithms that can be used include random forests, support vector machines (SVMs), linear discriminant analysis, k-nearest neighbors, naive Bayes classification, decision trees, neural networks, bagging, and boosting.

In addition, as described above, this function improves the prediction accuracy of excretion prediction from data on the current environment, etc., by taking into account data on the past environment of the room acquired by the air conditioning sensor 9, etc. Specifically, in the above machine learning, for example, by including in the learning data not only data on the feature amount of urination itself, such as the urination time and urination amount, but also data on feature amounts indirectly related to urination, such as the past temperature and humidity of the user 7's room, it is possible to make a prediction taking into account the current temperature and humidity of the room. The environmental information, such as temperature and humidity, may be individual data for each user 7, or may be average data for the entire nursing facility. For example, when the temperature rises due to the change in season from winter to summer, the amount of moisture excreted as sweat from parts other than the bladder increases, so the amount of urination tends to decrease. In addition, when the humidity rises due to the change in season from the dry season to the rainy season, the amount of moisture transpire from the skin surface decreases, so the amount of urination tends to increase. Therefore, in the above machine learning, by including in the learning data data on feature amounts indirectly related to urination, such as the temperature and humidity of the user 7's room, the prediction accuracy of excretion prediction can be further improved.

In addition, as described above, this function improves the accuracy of predicting the time of urination by taking into account data on the type and amount of food and drink ingested by the user 7. Specifically, in the above machine learning, by including in the learning data not only data on the features of urination itself, such as the time of urination and the amount of urination, but also data on features indirectly related to urination, such as the type and amount of food and drink ingested by the user 7, prediction taking into account the type and amount of food and drink is possible. For example, if a person consumes a lot of soup with a high water content, the amount of water that enters the body increases, so the amount of urination tends to increase. In addition, if the amount of drink consumed is reduced, the amount of water that enters the body decreases, so the amount of urination tends to decrease. Therefore, in the above machine learning, by including in the learning data data on features indirectly related to urination, such as the type and amount of food and drink ingested by the user 7, the accuracy of excretion prediction can be further improved.

As described above, in this excretion prediction function, in addition to such data on the environment and food and drink, data on ingested medicines, data on the amount of exercise, and various other data are used as data for machine learning, making it possible to increase the accuracy of excretion prediction as much as possible. The results of the excretion prediction can be, for example, the probability of the amount of urine, urination time, and stool volume several hours later, expressed as a percentage. Therefore, for example, by displaying the time period with the highest probability as the predicted urination time and displaying the percentage in a graph, staff 3 can know when it is time to change the absorbent articles worn by each user 7.

In addition, in this machine learning, when presenting the timing of changing the absorbent article with the urination volume as the core data, data on the posture of the user 7 manually input by the staff 3 may be included in the learning data. The absorption distribution of liquids such as urine in the absorbent article also changes significantly depending on the posture at the time of excretion. For example, when the user 7 is lying on his/her back, the urine is diffused almost evenly to both the left and right sides of the user 7 and absorbed into the absorbent. On the other hand, when the user 7 is facing either left or right, the urine is diffused in a biased manner toward the direction the user 7 is facing, and there is a higher possibility of leakage from the absorbent compared to when the urine is diffused to both the left and right sides. Therefore, in this machine learning, if data on the posture of the user 7 manually input by the staff 3 is included in the learning data, it becomes possible to present a more appropriate replacement timing that takes into account the diffusion distribution of the absorbent depending on the posture. It is also possible to calculate the next posture that takes into account the diffusion distribution.

In addition, in the explanation of this function, predictions are explained using not only data automatically acquired using a sensor device such as the excretion sensor 8, but also data manually entered into the on-site terminal 5 by staff member 3, but this function is not limited to this form. For example, this function may predict excretion using only data automatically acquired using a sensor device such as the excretion sensor 8, or may predict excretion using only data manually entered into the on-site terminal 5 by staff member 3.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the on-site terminal 5. For example, the staff member 3 can display a screen such as that shown in Figure 5 on the on-site terminal 5 in step R109 described above, and check the prediction results obtained by this excretion prediction function. The screen shown in Figure 5 displays information required when the staff member 3 performs care-related work at the user 7's place. As shown in Figure 5, this information includes, for example, the name, number, sex, date of birth, and age of the user 7, and is used in step R110 described above. Since this screen includes information for identifying the user 7, it is convenient to display this screen as a top screen at the beginning of operation of the on-site terminal 5, but it may also be a screen displayed after one or more operations have been performed.

5, the screen displayed on the on-site terminal 5 includes information such as the name of the user 7, as well as various information such as time series information related to excretion of urine, feces, etc., posture, diet, fluid intake status, drip, and the presence or absence of diarrhea (see the "Excretion record" column in FIG. 5). In addition, information related to incidental tasks such as the type of absorbent article to be worn by the user 7, the type of cleaning solution to be used for genital washing, methods of bedsore care, and methods of changing posture is included.

The information column for the excretion record displays information from 8:00 a.m. to midnight on the current day. Therefore, when the screen of the on-site terminal 5 is opened during the day, information from 8:00 a.m. to the present day is displayed as actual measurement data, and for information from the present day to midnight, the above-mentioned predicted result data is displayed. Data on excretion such as urination volume is transmitted from the excretion sensor 8 built into the absorbent article worn by the user 7 and recorded in the database 24, so that the urine volume is displayed in chronological order in a bar graph in the range of 0 cc to 500 cc. The accuracy of the urine volume displayed in the bar graph depends on the performance of the excretion sensor 8, but for example, if the measurement unit 81 is configured using multiple elements that are energized when urine comes into contact with them, the urine volume will have a resolution corresponding to the number of elements, and a stepped bar graph will be drawn.

For incidental tasks, a work procedure manual detailing the work procedures is prepared in advance at each nursing facility. Therefore, a "Procedure Manual" button for displaying this work procedure manual is also provided on the screen displayed on the on-site terminal 5. Therefore, staff 3 can check the specific procedures for each incidental task by touching the "Procedure Manual" button for that task. Therefore, even if staff 3 at a nursing facility do not have sufficient experience due to various circumstances such as the recent decline in the working population and the labor shortage in the nursing industry, it is possible to provide appropriate treatment to users 7.

The screen displayed on the on-site terminal 5 includes the name of the user 7, information on the associated work, and operation buttons for recording the results of the absorbent article replacement work (see the "After Diaper Change Record" column in Figure 5). The absorbent article worn by the user 7 has a built-in excretion sensor 8, and as described above, data on excretion such as the amount of urine excreted is recorded in the database 24. Therefore, the screen displayed on the on-site terminal 5 displays the most recent urine volume transmitted from the excretion sensor 8 as a sensor value. However, when the staff member 3 checks the used absorbent article when replacing the absorbent article of the user 7, the amount of urine detected by the excretion sensor 8 may differ from the actual amount of urine. Therefore, the screen displayed on the on-site terminal 5 is provided with a correction button for correcting the data on the amount of urine obtained by the excretion sensor 8 and stored in the database 24. In addition, buttons are provided for inputting various record items such as the amount of stool, the characteristics of stool, and the amount of leakage that cannot be detected by the excretion sensor 8.

Figure 6 shows an example of a screen for correcting urine volume data. When the correction button for correcting urine volume data is pressed, a pop-up window for data correction, for example as shown in Figure 6, is displayed on the field terminal 5. The urine volume data can be corrected by operating the buttons for adding or subtracting the sensor value, as shown in Figure 6. When the "OK" button in the lower left of the pop-up screen shown in Figure 6 is pressed, the corrected value is sent to the database 24 of the server 2, and the correction of the urine volume is confirmed. In the case of a care facility that does not use an absorbent article with a built-in excretion sensor 8, data on the urine volume detected by the excretion sensor 8 is not input, so the urine volume is manually input by these operations. The above-mentioned excretion prediction is also performed based on the information manually input by these operations.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a screen for inputting stool volume and stool properties. When data on stool volume and stool properties is to be input, a pop-up window for input, such as that shown in FIG. 7, is displayed on the site terminal 5 by pressing a corresponding button. For stool volume, three types of touch parts are provided, which represent "small, medium, and large" by the number of round patterns representing stool, so that the staff member 3 can input the stool volume by touching any of the parts. For stool properties, seven types of buttons are provided, which express the stool properties in words, so that the staff member 3 can input the stool properties by touching any of the buttons. The various data, such as the stool volume and stool properties, inputted to the site terminal 5 are sent to the server 2 via the network N and stored in the database 24. Then, they are used for predicting the above-mentioned urination time, etc.

When the urine volume data stored in the database 24 is corrected, the coefficients (regression coefficients) of the explanatory variables used in the machine learning of the excretion prediction function described above also change. Figure 8 is a diagram explaining the relationship between the correction of the urine volume and the change in the regression coefficient. Although a flowchart is shown in Figure 8, the regression coefficients are calculated by the machine learning of the calculation processing unit 22. Therefore, the flowchart shown in Figure 8 does not show the processing contents executed by the calculation processing unit 22.

For example, assume that the data on the amount of urine excreted by the user 7 is revised and the amount of urine excreted has increased compared to before the revision (YES in S101). When the amount of urine excreted stored in the database 24 increases as a result of the revision, the regression coefficient in the machine learning performed before the revision is affected. In other words, the correlation between the explanatory variable and the objective variable in the machine learning performed before the revision changes due to the revision of the amount of urine excreted. Therefore, when machine learning is re-executed after the revision of the amount of urine excreted, the regression coefficient is also added (S102). Also assume that the amount of urine excreted has decreased compared to before the revision (YES in S103). In this case, when machine learning is performed after the revision of the amount of urine excreted, the regression coefficient is also subtracted (S104).

When the urine volume data stored in database 24 is corrected by staff member 3, the coefficients of the explanatory variables used in the machine learning of the excretion prediction function will also change in this way. This impact on the excretion prediction function occurs not only when the urine volume is corrected, but also when, for example, the stool volume, the stool characteristics, and various other items are corrected. This impact on the excretion prediction function also has an impact, for example, on the function of planning the absorbent article replacement schedule, which will be described later.

<Planning function>
The planning function of the absorbent article replacement schedule will be described below. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a processing flow related to the planning function. The planning function of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment is executed, for example, at the start of work in the early morning of the nursing care facility, and is used when the staff member 3 starts work. The planning function of the information processing system 1 according to this embodiment is a process executed mainly by the calculation processing unit 22.

The calculation processing unit 22 refers to the data of the user 7 (S201). The data of the user 7 referred to by the calculation processing unit 22 is data stored in the database 24, and includes the above-mentioned information on the amount of urine and various other information.

The calculation processing unit 22 also refers to the shift (work schedule) data of each staff member 3 (S202). The shift data of each staff member 3 is data stored in a personnel management server used in the nursing facility, or data stored in a database 24, and is data entered into the management terminal 6, the on-site terminal 5, etc. by the manager managing each staff member 3 or each staff member 3 himself/herself.

The calculation processing unit 22 also refers to data related to care for each user 7 (S203). The data related to care for the user 7 referred to by the calculation processing unit 22 is data stored in the database 24, and includes various information such as the type of absorbent article worn by the user 7, the details of treatment that needs to be performed on the user 7 (bedsore care, genital washing, the need for position change, etc.), and the brand and absorption capacity of the absorbent article worn by the user 7.

The calculation processing unit 22 creates a plan for the replacement schedule of absorbent articles based on the above referenced data (S204). More specifically, the calculation processing unit 22 creates multiple plans in which items with higher priority are staggered. In this embodiment, the calculation processing unit 22 creates four types of plans: "total number of replacements prioritized" (hereinafter referred to as "Plan 1"), "disposable diaper cost prioritized" (hereinafter referred to as "Plan 2"), "minimum load per excretion care worker prioritized" (hereinafter referred to as "Plan 3"), and "regular replacement prioritized" (hereinafter referred to as "Plan 4"). However, the information processing system 1 is not limited to creating these four types of plans. The information processing system 1 may create various other plans.

Plan 1 is a plan that minimizes the number of times that staff 3 must replace absorbent articles. Plan 1 is a plan that is suitable for cases where the number of staff 3 is relatively small, for example. In this plan, for example, the calculation processing unit 22 suggests replacing absorbent articles with ones that have a high absorption capacity.

Plan 2 is the plan that minimizes the total cost of replacing absorbent articles. Plan 2 is an appropriate plan for cases where, for example, there is a relatively large number of staff 3 and inexpensive absorbent articles with low absorption capacity can be replaced frequently.

Plan 3 is a plan that minimizes the workload per staff member 3. While Plan 1 is a plan that minimizes the total number of changes for all staff members 3, Plan 3 is a plan that minimizes the workload per staff member 3. Therefore, for example, if there is a shift where there are fewer staff members 3 during a specific time period during the day, the total change work during that time period will be less than other times. As a result, there will be more change work during times other than that time period when there are relatively more staff members 3, and the concentration of work on certain staff members 3 will be alleviated.

Plan 4 is a plan in which the replacement of absorbent articles is performed at a specified time. For example, this plan is suitable for cases in which user 7 has various scheduled events and the time periods during which absorbent articles can be replaced are limited. In plan 4, the type of absorbent article to be replaced and the timing of replacement are determined so that the replacement of absorbent articles is performed during a predetermined time period.

The calculation processing unit 22 searches for the replacement schedule of absorbent articles and the type of absorbent article to be worn, for example, using the Dijkstra algorithm. When using the Dijkstra algorithm, for example, the work time required for replacement and incidental items, the cost of the absorbent articles, the time required for moving around the facility, the predicted amount of urination and urination time, etc. are set as weights for many nodes between the start node and the end node, and a route with the lowest weight is searched for. When searching for multiple plans such as the above-mentioned plans 1 to 4, a coefficient is added so that the weight corresponding to each plan is prioritized in the search, and a route search is performed. This completes the calculation of replacement schedules corresponding to the various plans 1 to 4. It goes without saying that in any plan, a plan is created for the time period during which the staff member 3 can replace the absorbent articles. For example, in any of the above plans, the late night hours when there are almost no staff members 3, or the staff member 3's break time, and other times when the staff member 3 cannot work, are excluded from the candidate time periods for replacement work.

When the calculation processing unit 22 completes the creation of the plan, it causes each plan to be displayed comparatively on the screen of the on-site terminal 5 or the management terminal 6 (S205). FIG. 10 is an example of a screen displaying plans of exchange schedules for comparison. When the calculation processing unit 22 completes the creation of the plan, the on-site terminal 5 or the management terminal 6 is in a state in which the plan created by the calculation processing unit 22 can be displayed on the screen. Therefore, the staff member 3 can compare and consider various plans created by the calculation processing unit 22 by operating the on-site terminal 5 or the management terminal 6. In addition, when the staff member 3 selects one of the plans (S206), the calculation processing unit 22 causes the details of the selected plan to be displayed on the terminal operated by the staff member 3 (S207). This allows the staff member 3 to check the detailed display of the selected plan.

By using such a planning function, a care facility using the information processing system 1 can easily perform various tasks such as planning the routes for users 7 and the schedules of each staff member 3, and determining the placement of staff members 3. Therefore, a care facility using the information processing system 1 can provide appropriate care to users 7 even with a limited number of staff members 3.

In actual nursing care settings, there are few caregivers, so changing disposable diapers every time a user defecates is not practical. Therefore, even if the user's defecation time can be predicted, the reality is that the disposable diaper cannot be changed at the predicted time. In this regard, with this planning function, planning is performed using not only data on the predicted amount of urine and urination time, but also various data such as the shifts of staff 3, making it possible to propose and select the time to change absorbent products according to the shifts and deployment situation of staff 3 on a day. In addition, with this planning function, it is possible to calculate the number of staff 3 required by time period, etc., based on the timing of changing absorbent products, etc., so the information processing system 1 can also be used to consider the work schedules of staff 3.

In addition, with the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to view and record procedures for not only excretion care such as changing absorbent articles, but also for incidental tasks such as skin care that are performed at the same time, and to refer to and input the procedures together with the excretion care information. Therefore, with the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to carry out various tasks related to the care of the user 7 in an extremely efficient manner.

<Computer-readable recording medium>
A program that causes a computer or other machine or device (hereinafter, computer, etc.) to realize any of the above functions can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. The function can be provided by having the computer, etc. read and execute the program from the recording medium. Here, a computer-readable recording medium refers to a storage medium that can store information such as data and programs by electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, or chemical action and can be read by a computer, etc. Examples of such storage media include optical disks, SSDs, HDDs, non-volatile memories, etc.

N - Network 1 - Information processing system 2 - Server 3 - Staff 4 - Wireless antenna 5 - On-site terminal 6 - Management terminal 7 - User 8 - Excretion sensor 9 - Air conditioning sensor 21 - Input processing unit 22 - Calculation processing unit 23 - Output processing unit 24 - Database 51 - Input processing unit 52 - Output processing unit 53 - Wireless communication unit 61 - Input processing unit 62 - Output processing unit 81 - Measurement unit 82 - Transmission unit 91 - Measurement unit 92 - Transmission unit

Claims (9)

a storage unit for storing excretion information, which is information relating to excreta excreted in the absorbent article;
a calculation processing unit that creates a schedule for a caregiver who cares for a wearer of the absorbent article, including a task of changing the absorbent article, based on a work schedule of the caregiver who cares for the wearer of the absorbent article and the excretion information;
an output processing unit that outputs the schedule,
the calculation processing unit creates at least four or more types of schedules for the caregiver, with alternating priorities for four items, namely, the total number of times the absorbent article is replaced, the cost of the absorbent article, the amount of work per caregiver, and the regular replacement of the absorbent article;
Information processing device. the calculation processing unit creates a schedule for the caregiver including a task of changing the absorbent article worn by the wearer, based on an excretion prediction based on the excretion information.
The information processing device according to claim 1 . the calculation processing unit creates a schedule for the caregiver who cares for the wearer of the absorbent article, including a task of changing the absorbent article worn by the wearer, based on a work schedule of the caregiver who cares for the wearer of the absorbent article and the excretion information.
3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2 . the calculation processing unit predicts a time to replace the absorbent article based on information about the replacement work using a prediction model that has been machine-learned using the excretion information as training data, and creates a schedule for the caregiver based on the prediction.
The information processing device according to claim 1 . An information processing device,
Refer to a storage unit in which excretion information, which is information related to excreta excreted in the absorbent article, is stored;
Based on the work schedule of a caregiver who cares for a wearer of the absorbent article and the excretion information, the schedule of the caregiver including the replacement work of the absorbent article is calculated based on the total number of replacements of the absorbent article, the cost of the absorbent article, the amount of work per caregiver, and the regular replacement of the absorbent article.
Create at least four different versions with alternating priorities for the four items .
outputting the schedule;
Information processing methods. In the information processing device,
Refer to a memory unit in which excretion information, which is information regarding excreta excreted in the absorbent article, is stored;
creating at least four or more types of schedules for the caregiver, including the task of replacing the absorbent article, based on the work schedule of the caregiver who is caring for the wearer of the absorbent article and the excretion information, with alternating priorities for four items, namely, the total number of times the absorbent article is replaced, the cost of the absorbent article, the amount of work per caregiver, and the regular replacement of the absorbent article;
outputting the schedule;
Information processing program. a storage unit for storing excretion information, which is information relating to excreta excreted in the absorbent article;
a calculation processing unit that creates at least four or more types of work schedules and care schedules for caregivers who care for the wearer of the absorbent article, based on the excretion information, with alternating priorities for four items, namely, the total number of times the absorbent article is changed, the cost of the absorbent article, the amount of work per caregiver, and regular change of the absorbent article;
An output processing unit that outputs the work schedule and the schedule.
Information processing device. An information processing device,
Refer to a storage unit in which excretion information, which is information related to excreta excreted in the absorbent article, is stored;
creating at least four or more types of work schedules and care schedules for caregivers who care for the wearer of the absorbent article from the excretion information, with alternating priorities for four items, namely, the total number of times the absorbent article needs to be changed, the cost of the absorbent article, the amount of work per caregiver, and regular change of the absorbent article;
outputting the work plan and the schedule;
Information processing methods. In the information processing device,
Refer to a memory unit in which excretion information, which is information regarding excreta excreted in the absorbent article, is stored;
At least four or more types of work schedules and care schedules for caregivers who care for the wearer of the absorbent article are created based on the excretion information, with alternating priorities for four items, namely, the total number of times the absorbent article is changed, the cost of the absorbent article, the amount of work per caregiver, and regular change of the absorbent article;
outputting the work plan and the schedule;
Information processing program.

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